Washboard.



Patentbd June I9, |900.

A. W. BISCHOFF.

WA S H B 0 A R D (Applicatioq fild Feb. 5, 1 900.)

(No Model.)

Ellll] Jurez() egiforgeys,

`the removable intermediate cross-bar.

STATES NITED PATENT EECE.

wAsHBoARo sPEcIFIcATIoN 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,818, dated June 1e, 1900. Apprenti; mammary 5, 1990. satana-1,042. ma man.) i

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW W. BIscHoFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at. Ambia, iu the county of Benton and State of Indiana, have invented. a new and useful` Washboard, of which the following isa speciflcation. p

The invention relates to improvements in' washboards. f

The object of the present invention is to improve the construotionof washboards and to provide a simple and'comparatively-inex-` pensive one adapted to have its rubbingsurface changed, so that it will be uniformly worn, and capable of having the said rubbingsurface completely renewed or partially replaced, so that the washboard will not have to be discarded when only a portion of the rubbing-surface is, unfit for use.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination land arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a washboard constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail sectionalview of one side of the washboard. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the .locking-bars. Fig. 5 is a similar view of Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating a modilication of theinvention. Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the manner of interlocking the tenons of the locking-pieces with the intermediate cross-bar.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the lgures of the drawings.

1 and 2 designate sides of a washboardframe which is provided with upper and lower cross-pieces 2a and 3, suitably secured to the sides and arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the lower cross-piece being located a short distance from jthe lower ends of the 'sides which form legs. The top cross-piece eX- tends forward beyond the front edges of the sides, which are provided adjacent to their front edges with longitudinal grooves 4, forming ways for a series of removable, re-

.Versible, and interchangeable slats 5,'which constitute the rubbing-surface of the washboard and which are adapted to be changed or' rearranged to enable them to be uniformly worn and to prevent a few of the slats from being subjected to the greatest wear. TheY sides are provided at their upper portions with recesses 6, extending to their rear edges and :forming continuations of the ways and Aadapted to receive supplemental slats 7, forming the back of a soapreceptacle and adapted to be interchanged ,withv the slats 5, so that one of the latter `when uniit for use in the rubbing.- surface may be removed therefrom.

The'slats 5 of the rubbing-surface are arranged lagainst a lower backboard 8, consisting of thin transverse boards loosely ttedV against the rear walls of the grooves or ways 4 and retained-in position by the slats and by longitudinal metal strips 9, forming bearing-surfaces for the slats, and provided at their upper ends with hooks 10, engaging the upper edge of the lower backboard. The slats, which may be constructed in any suitable manner,preferably consist of sheet-metal tubes or partial tubes and ailling of `wood or other material. The lower backboard 8 maybe readily placed in position in assembling the washboard, and the metal strips will prevent it from becoming worn by the changing of the slats.

The `frame of the washboard is provided with an upper backboard 1l, arranged at the back of the recesses 6 and offset from the lower backboard to provide a drain-opening 12, so that the water collecting in the soapreceptacle may readily drain therefrom. The supplemental slats 7 iit against the upper backboard 11, and the side 2 of the frame of the washboard is provided at the center of the recess G with an entrance-notch 13, which forms a passage and enables the `.slats Vto be readily introduced into and removed from the recesses and the ways.

The slats of the rubbing-surface are engaged by a movable intermediate cross-bar 14, out away or recessed at its lower edge, between its ends, to provide terminal en- IOO largements or feet 15, which rest upon the upper baokboard 11 and permit water to pass l through the drain opening or space between the adjacent ends of the upper and lower backboards. The cross-bar is provided with endrecesses 1.6and it has side recesses 17,l

cesses 6. The locking-pieces, which are dis@ j posed longitudinally of the washboard, retain.

the supplemental slats 7 in place and abut against the uppervface ofthe removable intermediate cross-bar, and thereby lock the slats .5 of the rubbingsurface in the grooves or ways 4 ot' the sides 1 and 2. The upper portions yof the locking-pieces are enlarged, as

period.

shown, and provided with grooves 20,' forming finger-holds to enable them to be readily removed from the recesses 6.

ingfscrews 2l, extending through thetop cross-piece and through nuts 22, arranged in recessesat the inner face of the top Vcrosspiece. By screwing the clamping devices tightlyagainst the upper ends of the lockingi pieces the kslats of the washboard are rrnly held ,in place, and by loosening the screws the locking-pieces and the slats may be read# ily removed. When the locking-pieces areremoved, there is suiiicient space within the recesses or ways to permit the supplemental" slats 7 to pass each other, so that any one ofthe slats may be brought to the entrancenotch 13. l

As illustrated in Fig. 6 of the accompany-V ing drawings, the longitudinal groove 23jof.

the side piece 24 maybe increased Vin width to accommodate a double row of slats, and this construction may be utilized'for the purpose. of providing a double washboard having'a rubbing-surface at its front and rear faces, or it may be simply employed as, a re-V pository for a large'number of slats, vso that the actual rubbingsurface of the board may be maintained 1n proper condition for a long may be employed oromitted, accordingly as it is desired to provide a washboard with ay double face or merely to provide a'space-for storing additional slats. I The uppermost supplemental slat 7 pro- Jects beyond thead jacent faces of the other supplemental slats in order to facilitate its removal by enabling it to be readily grasped by the operator, and when it is desired to substitute this slat for one of the lower slats the sheet-metalportion is stripped ott 'of the wood` illing and is applied to thewood-tilling ot the slat for which it is to be substituted.

It will be seen that the washboard is simple and comparatively inexpensive in =constructlon, that the supplemental slats form the back of the soap-holder, and `that the water accumulating in lthe soap-holder will "be-ah4 lowed to .drainfreely fromit.v It will also be The upper ends ofthe. locking-pieces are engaged by clamp'-V In this construction a backboardf .sorted to vwithout departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any o f theadvantages of this invention.

What is claimed is 1. A washboard comprising a frame having Aupper and lower backboards spaced apart at vtheiradjacentedgesi to provide aydrain-open- -in'g, the sidesof the frame being provided at the lower portion with grooves, and having recesses at the upper back p ortion, a series `of slats arranged in the grooves and forming Ithe rubbing-surface'of the washboard, a' se- .ries ofi-supplemental slats arr'an ged in the re'- gcesses, a removable intermediate cross-piece ,engaging the slats of the rubbingsurfacaand ithe locking-pieces interlocked with the relmovable intermediate cross-piece and-engag ging the supplemental slats, substantially as @described iupperand lower backboards spaced -apart at their adjacent edges to provide a drain-open Ling, the sides of the frame being provided at v.the lower portion with grooves vand-having recesses at the upper back portion, a series of slats arranged in the grooves andforming the rubbing-surface of the washboard, a series of supplemental slats arrangedin" the'ecesses,

Y a removable intermediate cross-,piece engaging the slats of the rubbing-surfacathe lock-v ing-pieces iterlocked with thel removable inigtermediate cross-piece and engaging the supyEplemental slats5and adjustable devices munt= ed on the frame of the washboard and engaggingthe locking-pieces, substantially as de'- Lscribed.

3. A washboard comprisinga frame-having flower grooves and provided 'with upper reicesses, slats arranged in the grooves and forming la rubbing-surface, a series of supplemental slats arranged in the'recesses,A a re-A vm ovable cross-bar engaging the topslat of the rubbingfsurface' and provided withA end lrecesses andrecessed at Yits upper Vface'to -re' ceive the adjacent edge 'of the adjacent supplemental slat, and the -lockingpiecesprof vided with lugs ttinginthe end recesses of the cross-piece, said lockingpieces engaging 2. A washboard comprising a frame having,

IOO

and retaining the supplementalf'slats -in 4the recesses, substantially as described.l

Q 4. A Washboardcomprising side bars having lower longitudinal grooves and upper recesses, upper `and lower cross-piecesconnecting the side bars, the -lower backboard-ar ranged in'the'grooves, the metal strips arranged 'on the lower backboard and provided with hooks'at their upper ends forffengaging the upperedge of the said backboard, the slats arranged in Vthev grooveseand 'bearing against the -metalstrips, the upperbackboard offset from the :lower backboard to provide a ldr'ain'fopening, thesupplementalslats Varianged in the rees's'es, the intermediate crossbar engaging the adjacent slat of the rubbingsurface, and eut away to provide a passage for Water, and the looking-pieces interloeked with the intermediate cross-piece and retaning the supplemental slats in the recesses, substantially as described'.

In testimony that I claini the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' ANDREW W. BISCHOFF.

Witnesses:

W. LEE BARTLETT, FRED'RICK E. HANSON; 

